312 BOARD OP AGRICULTURE. 



Hampden, ....... Charles G. Davis. 



Hampden East, Thomas W. Ward. 



Union, • Charles C. Bassett. 



FranJdin, Alexander Hyde. 



Berlshire, Imla K. Brown. 



Housalonic, Avery P. Slade. 



Hoosac Valley, ....... George A. King. 



Norfolk, Albert Fearing. 



Bristol, T. D. Thatcher. 



Bristol Central, William Knowlton. 



Plijmouth, John B. Moore. 



Hingham, John Johnson, Jr. 



MarsJiJie'd, James S. Blair. 



Barnstable, John L. Cole. 



Nantucket, Leverett Saltonstall. 



Martha's Vineyard, Newton S. Hubbard. 



Mr. King then submitted a report as delegate to tlie Franklin 

 Society, which was accepted. 



The Essay of Mr. Thompson, on Feeding Dairy Stock, was 

 then taken up, read a second time by its title, and accepted. 



Mr. Hyde submitted the following Report on 



THE POTATO CROP. 



By tlie returns of the industry of Massachusetts for 1865 we 

 find that potatoes rank third in money value among the agricul- 

 tural products of this State, grass and corn only taking prece- 

 dence. The number of bushels returned as the product of that 

 year was 3,826,540, valued at 12,607,202. This includes only 

 the potatoes raised in field culture. The amount raised in 

 market gardens we have no means of estimating. The number 

 of bushels of potatoes was nearly twice as great as the number 

 of bushels of corn, but the cash value of the potatoes was esti- 

 mated a little less. Considering the increased attention paid to 

 the culture of potatoes since 1865, and adding the large amount 

 raised in market gardens, we are safe in saying that this crop is 

 now the second agricultural product of this State, and is des- 

 tined to assume still higher importance. 



Our climate and soil are well adapted to the production of 

 this esculent, and the consumption is steadily on the increase. 

 The crop has this great advantage to recommend it to the atten- 

 tion of Eastern farmers : that owing to its bulky nature, and the 



